Knox Street rowhouses win preservation award

Gilbert Winn of WinnDevelopment and Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings at a press conference last year marking the opening of the Knox Street townhouses.

The terrific project that renovated 18 long-troubled rowhouses in the Park South section of Albany has won a Historic Preservation Award from the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

That project, led by WinnDevelopment, a Boston company, kicked off the city’s plan for the rejuvenation of the area south of Washington Park. The work continues now along New Scotland Avenue, where BBL Construction Cos. has built one office building and is now constructing another.

The $12.5 million project was paid for with funds from the city’s Community Development Agency, low-income tax credits from the Division of Housing and Community Renewal, and tax credits from the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Winn Development left Albany on poor terms. The company had been chosen as the preferred developer for Park South projects, but complained it had been muscled aside by BBL and affiliate Columbia Development for the office building work along New Scotland.